With several key players facing it as early as the third quarter of Wednesday’s game against C.B. Aycock, Cole was confident in the Rams’ depth.

Five Rams had at least three fouls heading into the final period, as Greene Central hung on over the Golden Falcons, 54-48.

“(The foul trouble) made me nervous, but we handled it,” Cole said. “We let a couple of them ride with three and four fouls for a while because I knew that if something happened, we had somebody that could step in.”

With 51 seconds left to play, sophomore forward Doreon Suggs fouled out of the ball game. He exited with a grin and eight points, as his team was up by six. Aycock was too far behind to fight back as it fell to GC for the second time this season.

But that’s not the only thing the Rams (5-2) had to be proud of against the Falcons.

CBA’s leading scorer Mike Williams only shot 16 percent from the field — going 0-for-12 in the first half. He finally netted a J on the game’s first shot attempt of the third quarter, also draining a 3-pointer in the final period.

However: Williams was still the game’s scoring leader with 18 points, as he visited the foul line nine times Wednesday night.

“He’s an unbelievable scorer,” Coles said. “He makes tough baskets, he’s hard to guard and he’s a heck of a player. … He doesn’t take an easy shot.”

On Williams’ first missed dunk of the night — he had two — GC’s Nisere Warren grabbed the rebound and took it down to score as the Rams then led, 20-14, with 2:03 remaining in the second quarter.

Greene Central led until a pair of Aycock free throws tied the game at 20-20, as the Falconstook a two-point lead into the half. But it didn’t last long.

GC’s Daryn Parker did double duty in getting an offensive rebound and feeding it back up to Quante Smith, who finished the pass with a feisty dunk that tied the teams at 33-33. Parker led the Rams with four assists, Smith finished with a team-high 11 points and CBA would not have the lead again.

Trequan Wade also had 11 points for the Rams.

Aycock, though, managed a 10-4 run starting at the 3:00 mark of the fourth quarter.

The Falcons pressured the Rams with trap defense to combat good passing throughout the night, but GC found ways out.

“Our guards did a good job of just reading the press, being patient and working through it,” Cole said of the Rams’ effort against Aycock’s defense. “We want to take advantage when people press us. … I thought they did a good job of being patient tonight.”

Greene Central recorded 11 assists against Aycock’s three but was outrebounded, 38-21; CBA’s Williams led on the glass with 17 boards.

After falling 71-55to Farmville Central (3-3) a week ago, the Rams will face the Jaguars in tonight’s rematch in Snow Hill.

Girls’ game

The Rams’ hasty shots made it too easy for CBA’s leading rebounder Myleah Jones to grab 14 boards in Wednesday’s game.

She led all scorers with 14 points as Aycock defeated Greene Central, 47-28.

It was a battle of steals and turnovers in the low-scoring third quarter, with the Rams trailing all along.

GC’s Ashley Brimmage kicked into high gear at the end of the period, scoring off her own steal to bring the Rams within 10 at 30-20. It was the closest they would come before the Golden Falcons finished them off.

Brimmage led Greene Central with 10 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Tamira Campbell was behind her with eight points.